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UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

WILL P. SELLERS, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO HUGH BROWN, OF SAME PLACE.

TABLE-LEG FASTENING.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,538, dated September 3, 1 895.

Application inea Marchi-13, 18957.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, WILL P. SELLERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Table-Leg Fastening, of which the following is a speci ication.

This invention relates to that class of inventions in which the legs of tables or stands are detachably connected to the side rails by angular or corner braces. As heretofore constructed, said braces or fasteningshave been formed of wood' or casted, both of which forms are objectionable, because they are necessarily heavy and clumsy, and, furthermore, are liable to fracture when subjected to severe strain.

The object of the present invention is to produce a simple, rm, and substantial metallic corner-brace, to which the leg can be connected and from which it canbe removed with ease for convenience of shipping and storing, and which at the same timewill be light, neat in appearance, and capable of withstanding abnormal strains without any liability to fracture. i

The invention consists, essentially, of a corner-brace struck up from heavy sheet-steel, the end portions being bent to obtain a lateral purchase against the side railsand having the extremities anged or bent outward to enter kerfs provided in the inner sides of the said rails, the middle portionof the brace curving and aperturednto receive a lag-screw, by means of which the brace is firmly attached to the said leg, and a stay for connecting the lower edge portions of the rails in proximate relation to the extremities thereof.

With these and such other ends in view as belong to the particular construction and essence of the invention the improvement consists in the novel features which hereinafter will be more fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the corner of a table or stand, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section showing the application ofthe invention and the manner of compressing the middle portion of the brace. Fig. 3 is a detail view of serrano. 541,594. (Nomade.)

the improved brace. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the stay for connecting the lower edge porstruction of that type in which the top and the legs are shipped and stored in a knockdown form and in which the legs are designed to be placed in position by the merchant selling direct to the consumer.

The numeral l represents the top, 2 lthe side rails, and 3 a leg, of such table or stand. The side rails 2 are left square-that is, they are not provided with tenons or dowels, but abut against the straight sides of the upper ends of the legs. These side rails are provided with kerfs 4 a short distance from their ends and parallel therewith and are designed to receive the flanged ends 5 of the brace 6. The brace 6 is formed from stout sheet-steel and is stamped into the required form. The end portions? are bent outwardly a short distance to obtain a bearing against the inner sides of the rails 2 and are apertured at.8to receive screws or other fastenings 9, by means of which the said brace is positively connected with the side rails 2. The middle portion of the brace curves outwardly, as shown at 10, and the portions 11, between the bent ends 7 and the curved portion 10, are straight and extend at right angles to the sides of the rails 2 when the parts are assembled,thereby securing abracing action and a rm attachment between the several parts. The brace 6 is centrally apertured at 12 to receive a lag-screw 13, which passes diagonally into the leg 3 from its inner corner.

The brace 6 is of less width than the side rails and can be adjusted vertically should either'of the fastenings 9 become brokenV or the holes for their reception become too large, so as to secure new places for the entrance of the said fastenings 9, as will be readily understood. This also applies in cases Where the lag-screw 13 becomes broken. The braces are attached to the side rails in the factory; but this is immaterial, as they can be readily placed in position by any one, as no skill in the handing of tools is required for the proper vadjustment of the said braces. After the braces are placed in proper position the leg 3 is arranged in the space between the TOO I If) ends of the side rails and is secured in place by the lag-screw 13 in the well-lrnown manner. The brace 6 being constructed of sheetsteel possesses a certain amount of elasticity, which is taken advantage of in the irm attachment of the parts, because after the lagscrew is tightened it is given a further turn in order to compress the middle portion ot' the brace, thereby guarding against any looseness and provided for compensation of shrinkmeans for compensating and taking up any shrinkage in the parts, as hereinbefore stated.

To prevent spreading of the side rails when subjecting the brace to tension, it has been found expedient to provide a stay let, which latter consists of a rod or heavy wire having its ends l5 bent and adapted to be driven into the lower edges of the side rails. This stay spans the angle formed between the ends of adjacent side rails and extends approximately parallel with the brace 6.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- The combination with a table, or stand, of the herein-specified means for detachably connecting the leg to the side rails, consisting of a sheet metal brace having a curved middle portion, and having its end portions bent outwardly to lie against the inner sides ofthe rails and terminating in outer flanged ends, which are adapted to enter kerfs provided in the inner sides of the rails, a lag screw for connecting the middle portion of the brace to theleg, fastenings for attaching the end portions ot the said brace to the side rails, and a stay for connecting the lower edge portions of the rails, substantially described for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own I have hereto atxed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses:

WILL I. SELLERS. Witnesses.

A. M. RUSHER, GEO. A. BoGARDUs. 

